


If His Heart Should E'er Fly Free

by replicanon



Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Animal Transformation, Canon Universe, Cuddling & Snuggling, Curses, Donkey Riku, Fluff, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Prankster's Paradise (Kingdom Hearts), Shame, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-04
Updated: 2020-03-04
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:08:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23015284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/replicanon/pseuds/replicanon
Summary: An unfortunate incident while traveling the worlds leaves Riku trapped in an unusual form. There's a way back to normalcy of course, but he'll have to earn it—with honesty, and an open heart.
Relationships: Riku/Sora (Kingdom Hearts)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 55





	If His Heart Should E'er Fly Free

**Author's Note:**

> Ever thought you'd see that tag?
> 
> Typo corrections appreciated. Hope you enjoy.

"Riku, is that you?"

It couldn't be but oh, it definitely was. There were other hints—the hair, the clothes—but for Sora the shamed eyes were the thing that did it, the way he turned and hid his face. _Oh man, it really_ is _him_.

It wasn't a situation he ever expected to be in, although in all fairness Sora never expected to be in any of the situations he's stumbled into since leaving Destiny Islands. At least this isn't the first time he's encountered Riku in an unusual form, nor the first he's discovered Riku trying to hide it from him, desperately trying to conceal himself in darkness.

There were some positives this time around though. The darkness was just a shadow in the corner of the room for one, and Riku wasn't wearing the skin of the man who once possessed him.

 _It's just...weird,_ Sora thought, tip-toeing to where Riku was curled in the corner.

His approach was slow, cautious. It felt silly. It probably looked silly too. Yet even though Riku wasn't a wild animal— _I mean Riku's not really an animal at all, is he?_ —he still thought he wouldn't appreciate Sora running over there and dragging him out of his 'hiding' spot. Indeed, that seemed like a really good way to get hit—or kicked, more likely.

So he made his way to the corner and, once there, knelt, head tilted to get a better look at his friend. "Riku?"

The creature looked up and, _Oh yeah, that's definitely him._

"Okay," Sora murmured, then shook his head. "No, not okay actually. Riku, what happened to you? You're—you're a donkey!"

Riku snorted. He turned and there—there were his eyes, that intense gaze of sea green and blue fire. They were definitely and undeniably his, which just made it all the more bizarre that they were set in the face of the tiniest gray donkey Sora had ever seen. He was _maybe_ the size of a cat, but with the proportions of a plush toy; round, soft, and painfully cute with floppy ears and a mop of silver hair atop his head. Perhaps the oddest thing was his clothes. They'd shrunk to match his size, but their fit was all wrong and it looked like Riku had tried to loosen them.

_Maybe they're uncomfortable? Could Riku not get them off the whole way, or did he just not want to because he'd be, well...does it count as being naked when you have fur?_

"Got any other genius observations Sora?"

Sora jumped, snapped right out of his thoughts. "Hey I—wait, what? You can talk?"

"Yeah," Riku said, voice shockingly normal.

"Then why didn't you say anything when I came in?" Sora scowled, cheeks hot.

They cooled fast when Riku looked away though, discomfort obvious. "I...I can't talk sometimes. When you used that tone of voice—your dumb one, I mean—I was able to speak again."

"Oh okay—no wait, hang on a second! What do you mean 'your dumb one'?"

Riku opened his mouth to respond, new features hiding none of his old attitude. Yet when it came time to speak there was nothing, all the cheeky comments he could have made dying on his tongue. He turned away, bangs falling to hide his features.

He was too quiet, too still for Sora. He rocked back on his heels, then bent forward, trying different positions in the hope of catching a glimpse of Riku's half-hidden face. With what little light drifted into the room he caught crinkles around his too big eyes, the crease of a frown, the hunch of anxious shoulders. There was that little bob in his throat, the one that said he was struggling to put hard feelings into words. Guilt, stress, sorrow. Sora's heart ached and he reached out, put a hand on Riku's back and let their silly conversation go.

"Riku, what happened?"

For a long moment there was nothing. Sora's jitters demanded he do something about that, so he rubbed Riku's back, soothing him the way he did the island cats back home when the clouds were dark and promised rain. It must have worked, at least a little, because Riku made a sound then. It wasn't much of anything, barely even a bray, and certainly nothing like human speech. Yet it was still comforting, after the silence.

"Riku?..."

Another sound, still so small. He did it once, twice, then stopped and bowed his head. His ears had gone pink and there was an arch in his back, painfully tense.

"Riku..."

"I—" Riku's voice cut off, interrupted by a long _hee-haw_. Seconds later his hooves were over his head, clutching in the donkey version of despair.

"Riku—hey, it's fine!" Sora had no idea what happened, but Riku's snorted with increasing amounts of distress, pathetic wheezing all that escaped him.

"It's embarrassing!" Riku cried when he finally had control of his speech again, righting himself with a stamp of his hooves. A second later his cheeks were burning at such an infantile display of frustration. Privately, Sora didn't think it was that bad, but he suspected Riku was hypersensitive right now, frightened of any potential foolishness he might display. He could feel it in him, the way his body trembled, too tense, too tight.

"Okay, okay, this isn't working," Sora said, shifting until he sat more comfortably on the ground. "Let's just—ah, let's try calming down first?" At Riku's glare he held up his hands, "I mean hey, c'mon, we've been through worse haven't we? You've been in Ansem's body, you've been cast out of your own—we got through all that, right? And that's what matters! But we got through that by working together, so we gotta calm down and talk to each other, Riku."

Sora could just tell there was a bratty comment on Riku's tongue. If he'd been younger he definitely would have let it loose, but he wasn't, so instead he swallowed it down and turned until he faced Sora properly. He looked mopey, dopey, his whole body sagging.

 _Tired_. That was what his posture said. _T_ _his weight is too much, I can't carry it anymore._

It was that posture that made Sora pat his lap. When Riku didn't move, only raised a brow, he laughed. "C'mon, we used to lie all over each other back home. You've stuck my face in your pits so many times, surely my lap can't be as bad as that?"

Riku made an odd sound then, something between foreign and familiar. Sora's heart skipped a beat when he recognized what it was. Somehow, despite all the ways he'd changed, Riku's laugh still sounded like home. It was two kids wrestling, joking, exploring, fighting, chatting away under a blanket of stars—easy, light, warm as could be.

Yet it faded, died too fast. By the time Riku had climbed into Sora's lap his ears were drooping once more. It made Sora's whole body scream— _S_ _queeze him! Hold him! Hug away with sadness!_ Anything to take the edge off Riku's misery and ease his pain a little. Still, he doubted that sort of open affection would be appreciated right now, so Sora channeled all that unused energy into sliding across the floor, stealing the corner Riku had abandoned.

When he settled all was quiet. Their shared breathing was the only sound in the room; Sora's slow, and Riku's gradually becoming so. The silence drew out, dragging Sora's restraint along with it until finally, it snapped. If Riku had been human he would have second-guessed it, but as he wasn't he gathered his tiny body up in his arms and held him close, pressed against his chest. Riku made a little sound, but it was surprise rather than protest.

Then there was silence again—just them and the empty room, surrounded by dust motes catching light.

"I—" Riku faltered, cleared his throat. Sora said nothing, waited. "I don't know what's going on. I'm not even really sure what's happened to me. I was just doing what Yen Sid asked us to—inspecting the Echoing World for trouble—and then suddenly I was like this."

"So you just turned into an ass? Oof!"

Sora wheezed, Riku rearing back his 'recently-just-used-to-butt' head and scowling, "Don't use that word!"

"Okay okay, geez, I'm sorry. But you're saying it just happened? No warning, no evil wizard, nothing?"

"Yeah," Riku frowned. "I mean, it was a process. I got the ears and the tail first, then my body changed, and now it's hard to even walk on two legs and speak properly. I haven't progressed any further though, so I don't think it's going to get worse than this. I..."

He trailed off and didn't start again.

"Riku?" 

"I did overhear something when I was sneaking out of the circus," he murmured, refusing to look up. "There were some men talking, and one of them mentioned a curse on Pleasure Island that turns boys who behave badly into...jackasses."

It took a moment for Riku's comment to register, but when it did Sora was baffled. "But—Riku that can't be it! You're better behaved than I am these days, aside from the odd joke. Why would..." He trailed off at the feeling of something soft pressed against him—Riku, leaning into him. Sora didn't think Riku had even noticed the way he'd snuggled up close. "Riku?..."

"I—I don't think it's about any recent badness. At least I hope it isn't, because the only thing I can think of is..." His voice was so small Sora only caught, '...ving you,' but even then he couldn't figure out what he'd said. Sora wanted to ask him to repeat himself, but Riku spoke first, "I think it's because of the things I did in the past."

"But...oh."

It came back to him then, what Yen Sid had said before they'd left— _th_ _e echoes of a sleeping world are not the same as a true sleeping world—they are not a world in slumber, but rather the memory of one. These worlds react unusually with travelers to and from them, the memories of the world reaching out and interacting with the memories and histories of those who pass by._

_Now listen well, for this is most important. It should not matter in most worlds you visit, but now and then you will come across an Echoing World imbued with magic that may react poorly to the echoes of your past. While I will not send you intentionally to a world that I believe to be dangerous to you, there are some things I cannot foresee, some things I do not know. In these cases remember that all curses are reversible, impermanent, and that upon your return we will find a solution to any foul magicks that may be laid upon you._

At the time Sora had felt a little chill creep down his spine. Worlds had changed him before, and the Underworld's Curse in Olympus Coliseum had been a massive pain, but he hadn't yet encountered a world where any magic unique to it would carry beyond its boundaries. _Well now I have, I guess._

He swallowed. "So you think the things you did in the past set off this Echoing World's curse?"

"What else could it be?" Riku sighed. "I don't think Yen Sid knew about this curse or else he wouldn't have sent me here."

"But Jiminy—"

"—Was off helping Mickey upload his latest journal into the datascape. He was the only one who'd know about this place, but, well, he wasn't around when we got briefed."

"Ah, you're right," Sora moaned, flopped his head against the wall, worried his lip. He had to comfort Riku somehow. "Well, Yen Sid did say none of this was permanent, right? And if there's a way to break the curse then Jiminy might know it, or know who to ask at least. It'll be okay, I'm sure of it!"

"Yeah," Riku sighed, more a breath than a word. His head remained bowed, hidden. Sora didn't need to see his face though, to know his attempts at comfort had failed.

They fell quiet, everything still in the dim-lit room save the dust motes, dancing sad and slow in the slivers of light through the window shutters.

"Hey Riku?" He murmured.

"Hm?"

"What's wrong?"

Riku snorted. "I'm a donkey?"

"No, I mean what's _actually_ wrong. Being turned into an animal is awkward, and knowing you're stuck like beyond this world can't fun but it's not—it's not..." Sora cut himself off, tried again. "You wouldn't be this upset if it were just 'I'm a donkey', really. That's not you Riku. You'd be irked and embarrassed, and I'd make fun of you because being a donkey isn't anywhere near as cool as being a lion but that's _all_." He exhaled, slowed down. "So what's really going on, huh? Can you tell me?"

There was a rumble against Sora's chest. His lip quirked when he realized it was Riku's laughter—genuine, if a little short, a little sad. "Y'know, you're a lot smarter than you think, Sora."

"I'm just good at worrying about my friends," he replied, rubbing the back of his head, cheeks hot.

"I know," Riku said, sighed, then turned in Sora's lap like an uncomfortable cat. "It's hard to explain. It's sort of...scary? There are moments where I forget myself, usually when I'm a bit..."

"What?" Sora asked when Riku stopped.

"When I'm a bit rude or dishonest," he confessed, head somehow managing to sink lower. "Usually the latter. I really do feel like an ass then, except the real me is still there. It's like I'm trapped inside myself, unable to do anything as the 'donkey' takes over, except..."

Sora cocked his head. "Except?"

"I—I feel like a part of me is trapped, but I'm also—it's like—I guess a part of me is mixed in with the donkey? And that scares me Sora. I don't like it."

Sora hummed, considered. "That's not all of it though, is it? There's something else that's hurting you, I can tell."

Riku huffed. "You're pushy sometimes Sora."

"Hey, I'm just worried! Besides, no matter how many times I tell you, you always try to do things alone! Sometimes I get why, because I know I mess up a lot, but other times—"

"I'm the one who messes up," Riku finished, sad again. The urge to pet him grew in Sora with every irritated swing of his tail. He was still clothed—it couldn't be that weird right? He hesitated, but Sora had so little self-restraint when it came to doing things for the good of his friends. He reached out and stroked him, from top to tail. Riku stiffened, and Sora stilled, but then the moment ended and Riku only shook his head and muttered, "You're weird Sora."

"Says you."

"Says me and everyone else."

"And yet you all still hang out with me," Sora reminded him, smug.

Riku huffed. "Fine, you win. We're all weird too, if only because we hang out with you."

"Aw, now it doesn't feel like a victory."

"You'll always be score forty-nine to my score fifty, Sora."

And Sora discovered he did have some self-restraint then, as he decided not to swat Riku's backside for behaving like such an ass. He wouldn't have needed to anyway, Riku's guilt kicking in as his whole body went stiff under Sora's hand. A memory from moments ago came back. _When I'm a bit rude or dishonest..._

"Riku?" He asked. Riku responded, but with a questioning whine unlike anything resembling their earlier conversation. Sora sighed and started stroking him once more. "I get it. When your voice comes back, answer my question okay? I want to know what's going on inside your head."

A weak grunt was all he got, but he understood that was probably the extent of what Riku could manage for the moment. He waited, petting slowly and breathing evenly. The weight in his lap grew heavier and heavier. _Is he falling asleep?_ But no, seconds later Riku's head cocked to the side, eyes meeting Sora's wearily. _He's kinda cute like this._ Sora indulged himself and scratched behind his ears, earned a shiver in response.

"Hey," Riku said.

"You can talk again?"

"Yeah."

"Okay," Sora murmured, and kept scratching him.

"You good there?" Riku snorted.

"If you are."

"I—" He hesitated, then pushed his head into Sora's hands. "You can keep doing it. It feels pretty nice."

"Good. I feel you could do with some 'pretty nice' right now."

That got him a laugh. "I suppose..."

There was a long pause then, palpable, and Sora knew Riku was gathering his words. 

"I've," he began, throat bobbing, "done my best to move past who I was. I made a lot of mistakes back then, did a lot of terrible things. My motives were so muddled that even now I can't tell the good from the bad, and in the end it doesn't matter. I hurt you and even tried to—" Riku's throat seized.

"I know," Sora said, gave him a firmer pat. "It's fine."

"I fell to darkness, but even when I crawled back out of it I still—with DiZ I—we did some terrible things. There were some really hard choices we had to make but I still—" He cut himself off, but this time it seemed voluntary. His voice was steady when he begun again. "Whatever happened, I know in my heart the reason I'm like this now is because of what I did then. When I brought the Heartless to our home, everything after, and maybe even a little before..." His voice faded.

"Almost there," Sora encouraged.

"Yeah, I suppose," Riku murmured, closed his eyes. "The point I'm trying to make is that this form is a reminder of that. It's a reminder to myself, and to everyone else. All they have to do is look at me and they'll know exactly the sort of person I've been." He snorted. "But I guess that's it. So long as I'm like this I have to remember it—all the things I did, the person I was, the parts of him I've overcome and the parts that still linger. But most of all it just feels like a message; _no matter what you do, you will always be bound by the decisions you made then,_ and those decisions earned me _this_."

He sat up, pulled away from Sora and held out his hooves. "This body is shameful. It's embarrassing and ridiculous and half the time I can't even control it. Sometimes I can't even speak and that's _humiliating_ Sora! There are impulses I'm forced to act on, even when the human part of me doesn't want to—or doesn't want to admit it anyway. But I guess it's just that, that reminder; this is all I'll ever be, and now everyone can see it. Now everyone knows."

It was the final nail in the coffin, hammered in without mercy. The words lingered, hung heavy to the point where Riku slumped over from the weight of it all. He looked truly miserable again, dour and droopy, hair a mess. It made Sora's hand slow in its petting until, finally, it stopped.

"Sora?" Riku's voice was so soft, shaking. The, 'Ack!" that followed was the exact opposite.

Sora held him close, firm. It wasn't quite a death squeeze, but he needed to give Riku a hug, to ground him, to press their hearts together until Riku could feel him there, feel Sora's heart right there next to his and understand what he was trying so hard to say without words. There was a little rumble against his chest, but it wasn't an unhappy one. Just nerves, slowly released as Riku sunk into him.

"Hey Riku?"

"Hmm."

"Do you think the other people who suffered this curse—" and Sora tried so hard not to think about it, because there really wasn't anything he could do about those people here in an Echoing World. "Do you think they could do what you do?"

"What I do?" 

"Like talk," Sora said. "You can still talk, and even though your donkey brain is in charge sometimes, you always return to your true self. I feel like that has to mean something Riku, like this world is also echoing with all the good in you—your present and your past. Because in the end you _are_ good Riku. You did a lot of things that really sucked and I had to go chasing after you, but you know what? Even then I knew there was good in your heart. It's like I say, y'know? Deep down there's a light that never goes out. That applies to you too."

He pulled back, held Riku up so he could look at him properly. It was a weird position, definitely, but Riku didn't complain. In fact he seemed downright shy, and Sora couldn't tell if that was due to the position in which he was being held, or if Sora's words had done him in.

"Riku, you're good okay? And no matter what we're gonna find a way to get you back to normal, though that probably means you're going to have to be more honest and less rude." Sora laughed at Riku's scowl. "Oh come on, you can do it! I'm with you all the way!"

That made him laugh, and then he seemed to come back to himself and wriggled until Sora let him down. "Y'know I think you're right Sora, at least a little. I guess maybe I can get through this, no matter how embarrassing it is. And you'll be with me, won't you, helping me along the way?"

"Yeah," Sora said, gave him a quick hug before setting him back down. "Now let's just chill a bit before we head back. I'm kinda tired..."

"Mmhm," Riku hummed. "Oh, um..." Sora peeked down just in time to catch his cheeks flush. "I'm probably gonna need new clothes. Like not right now, but later, cause these ones are kind of..."

"You wanna take them off?" Sora asked, no inhibitions. "Just for now I mean. We can put 'em back on when we head out."

There was an awkward pause then, and Sora thought maybe he'd crossed a line. But Riku only clambered out of his lap and went a little way away so he could shuck off his pants and shake off his vest, dumping them in a pile with his already abandoned shoes and accessories. He kept his hair over his eyes while he did so, refusing to even glance Sora's way.

"Don't look too hard," he said when he was done, voice strained. "You can't see much right now but—well—it's just—"

"I won't look," Sora promised, "and if something's changed about your bits I don't care anyway."

"Sora!"

"Sorry!" Sora laughed. "But you know I don't. Now c'mon, let's take a nap. I don't think anyone's gonna come this way for a while."

Riku snorted, "Reckless," but when Sora beckoned him over he responded all the same. When he paused Sora smiled, cocked his head, and Riku took that as his cue to climb back into his lap, curling up in the makeshift nest of his legs. "I just need a moment," he said.

"You've got it," Sora replied, and settled back against the wall.

Outside, a light rain started to fall. Sora closed his eyes and listened; to the rain, and to the gentle rise and fall of Riku's breath as he dozed in his lap. His hands ran up and down his back, and he wondered if the same warmth that sparked inside his chest sparked inside Riku's too.

 _I'm here for you,_ he thought, _and that's right where I want to be._

* * *

It's a learning experience that's for sure.

The discussion they have upon returning was one of the most awkward of Riku's life. The only thing that kept it from being truly humiliating was the fact he kept his donkey brain in check, but that wasn't saying much. _Not turning into a braying ass in front of Master Yen Sid and Mickey is something though_. Still, his stomach spent most of the conversation in a pit while Jiminy listened, then confirmed a lot of their suspicions. 

"There's a horrible curse on that place for sure, but for the specifics of what you're dealing with I'll need to go talk to the Blue Fairy. She didn't put that darned spell on Pleasure Island, but she understands the magic of it nonetheless. If anyone can give us advice, it'll be her."

So with that they parted for a week, giving Jiminy time to go find the Blue Fairy and the rest of them time to ponder his words. Riku remained within the Mysterious Tower, his mind turning and turning like a pinwheel in a storm.

Jiminy's first piece of advice was to, "Get used to things lad. I hate to say it but curses aren't usually cured in a day." So Riku had, as best he could. Being the size of a cat was hard, as was walking around on all fours. According to Jiminy there'd been boys who could manage two legs, but Riku seemed set to live as a quadruped for the near future. "It's better than what happened to a lot of the other boys, though that's cold comfort. I guess the Echoing World thought you'd kept enough of your good in the end to keep you from turning fully, so chin up! We'll get you back to normal good and soon, I just know it."

Riku hoped he was right. More than that, he hoped he hadn't noticed the little _clop clop clop_ of his hooves. Unable to clench his fists or do much else, he needed a new way to express anxiety and frustration. Tapping his hooves was effective, but it was also obvious. Really obvious.

But then again, wasn't that the point? Obviousness, honesty—that was what he had to work on, right?

_Easier said than done._

During that brief, endless week waiting for Jiminy, Yen Sid summoned everyone to a meeting. As much as Riku wished he hadn't, he understood they all needed to be informed about what had happened to him. It was necessary, but awful. It had been uncomfortable enough when he'd first returned; when Mickey had taken his hoof in hand and promised to help him, when Donald and Goofy had hemmed and hawed behind his back, worried tittering stalking him about the tower.

But the rest of his friends were worse. Sora and Yen Sid were there to explain it, and that was a good thing, because Riku's attempts left him stumbling over his words, telling half-truths until the donkey surfaced, drowning him in his need to hide. He could only cringe from behind the wall between him and active consciousness, watch as he whined at his friends, nudged their legs until they pet him, then pushed into their hands when they did so. He tried not to notice the way they stared, bewildered.

 _Comfort me!_ The donkey cried. _Comfort me! I'm hurting and embarrassed, comfort me!_

In the end Kairi was the worst, although not because of anything she did. She was his best friend—a constant source of teasing and good-natured ribbing—so her silence rung strange, left his stomach roiling as she crouched down and scratched behind his ears. _Is she surprised to know I'm this needy? Or is she just sad it took a curse and a donkey's brain for me to share it with her?_

He didn't know.

The only mercy throughout the whole meeting was that he was not required to go visit his Data self. He was perhaps the only person who hadn't seen him at this point, and Riku wanted to keep it that way.Unlike Axel, he was quite happy for people not to get the silliest things about him memorized—or indeed anything at all.

Eventually, he came back to himself. His first instinct was to blush, apologize, but no one seemed to mind.

"It's nice when you follow your heart," Kairi teased, and Riku was relieved to hear that familiar mischief in her voice.

"Besides Riku, you're kind of cute," Xion giggled. "It makes me want to try patting your head when you're human again, just to see if you like it. Is that strange?"

"Yes," he said, and she pouted and pinched his ears.

The rest of the week went similarly—embarrassing, but otherwise uneventful. It was tiresome adjusting, trying to get used to his new body, his height, his lack of hands. His mind slipped in and out frequently too, the donkey eagerly shoving him aside whenever the chance to hop into someone's lap for pats came by. One time he returned to himself to find Axel tickling him, Kairi clapping and cooing encouragement, and it had taken a great deal of restraint on his part not to kick them both.

"Aw but Riku, you were having such a good time!" Axel laughed, yelped when Riku stamped the ground next to his feet. "Alright, alright, I promise I won't do it again unless you ask me."

"It's just a bit confusing," Kairi said, kneeling down, "because of what you and Master Yen Sid said. The donkey represents things you want, right?"

Riku averted his eyes, glared off at nothing. "I—It's complicated. And I'm not that angry, just—"

"Embarrassed, we get it," Axel leaned down and ruffled his hair. "You're fun to tease but I can behave. Trust me?"

Riku did, and was grateful. He knew it was complicated, what with the acknowledgement that the donkey probably _did_ represent his desire for affection, but he wanted to wait until Jiminy returned before allowing his friends free rein.

_Honesty—it's hard. I just need more time to come to terms with it before I can admit what I want. Even I didn't know I was this needy._

Perhaps that was why, in the end, he spent most of his time with Sora. It was easier, safer. No one in their group was going to hurt him, and when the boundaries were set they behaved, but there was a peace of mind in Sora's presence he couldn't hope to achieve with the others. He was glad they still teased him, especially glad they hadn't decided to condescend or pity him, but sometimes he still just needed _him_.

So while the two Riku replicas treating him as bratty little brothers would was reassuring, and Aqua insisting he attended practice despite his new form a relief, they were different sorts of comfort from the peace he achieved trotting alongside Sora. _The closest to it is Mickey, but he's busy scouring the libraries, and I need a little more activity right now._

Maybe there were other reasons for that comfort; the balance between childhood jokes and quiet conversation was well-established, and the talk they'd had in the Echoing World had covered more emotional ground than any since. _Maybe it's just that he's Sora and I..._

Well, he wasn't ready to be that honest yet, even with himself. Instead he just contented himself, let Sora pet him and comment on the little things; how his ears flopped, or how his mannerisms had changed in the wake of his transformation. Words from their talk in Prankster's Paradise came back to play in Riku's mind.

_Y'know, you're a lot smarter than you think, Sora._

When the week was up Jiminy returned, punctual as ever, with good and bad news in tow. The first he gave was the good; it was entirely possible for Riku to return to his true form. That confirmation alone was enough to have his heart dancing, excitement so great he had to restrain it or else he'd end up skipping. Unfortunately that repression caused the donkey to wake, and Riku ended up skipping anyway while complicated rules of world order and magic were discussed above his head.

When he came back to himself, it was just in time for the bad news.

"The Blue Fairy says the cure to each curse is unique, lessons shaped to their particular person. Riku will have to work hard to overcome his, and only then will he return to normal."

"Did she tell you what I needed to do?" Riku asked.

"She did, and she gave me a rhyme to boot," Jiminy sighed and shook his head. "Fairies and their rhymes. The basic rules went like this though; you need to be a good boy, and that means honesty and good manners at least most of the time. Now I think Riku's got both those things down pat these days, but according to her there are some truths of the heart that stay hidden, even in the most honest, well-behaved boys."

"Well, boys are shyer than girls when it comes to the things that matter," Kairi teased, crouched at his side so she could poke him. He scowled, and she stuck out her tongue. "Oh come on, you know I'm right in your case."

And she was, he knew that. Between the two of them she kept a lot less secrets. _But you've got 'em_ , he wanted to say, but didn't. "What was the rhyme, Jiminy?" He asked instead.

"You really want to know?"

"Yes please."

So Jiminy cleared his throat and sang:

_If his heart should stay in ties,_

_then it beats to slow demise._

_If his heart should go beyond,_

_then it needs an honest bond._

_If his heart should be so shy,_

_then we teach it not to lie._

_If his heart should e'er fly free,_

_then a donkey he must be._

There was a moment of silence when he finished, broken by Jiminy himself when he said, "So, that's all the knowledge I've got for you, Riku my lad. If you do what she says, then you'll get back to yourself eventually. It may take a while, but you'll know when you're getting there— your shape will waver, or so the Blue Fairy said. She believes in you, by the by, and I do too."

"Yeah!" Sora exclaimed, "So do I! We all believe in you Riku!" The rest of the room chattered their agreement, Riku blushing at their encouragement.

"Show us what you got, Riku," Kairi murmured, smiled and rose.

So Riku did.

* * *

Months passed. 

Riku could still summon his Keyblade, so he continued to accept missions as they were assigned to him. A long meeting with Yen Sid, Mickey, and Aqua led to the decision that he should step down from his role as Master for the time being, and Riku was glad too. For all that he was proud of what he'd achieved, he needed time and space to get used to his body, and a leadership position allowed for neither of those things.

Most of the time though, he was on break. The worlds were at peace, with only the occasional incursion of Heartless, Nobodies, and the odd local villain to deal with. Lucky for Riku that meant he could spend most of this time working out how to move, challenging himself to come up with new attacks that better suited his current form.

Yet that only took up a small portion of his time. Riku did not think _if his heart should e'er fly free_ implied he should train until his heart thundered right out of his chest, overworked in its tiny new body. No, instead he had to come to terms with what he really needed—

_Honest bonds._

"You need new clothes," Sora told him. "You said so yourself, remember?"

"The Three Good Fairies are in their usual chamber if you have a need," Yen Sid said, sipping his morning tea as they went over Heartless reports from all regions. "He is correct though Riku, that your current clothes suit you ill."

"Oh, I wonder what they'll make for you!" Kairi exclaimed. Riku made no comment, only sighed.

It was the first thing they did together during those months, making new clothes for him. He hadn't expected it to be a sit-in experience, but apparently most of the current crop of Keyblade wielders had decided they needed to be present for his measurements. In all honesty there wasn't much to be shy about in his donkey shape, though there had been some rather _bizarre_ changes to his anatomy since the transformation. They weren't visible, but Riku's modesty kept with him regardless of form.

The Three Fairies had not made too much fuss however, merely taken his measurements before handing them out. "Now go have some fun dears," Fauna said, "and then Riku, you can give them your opinion on the outfits they make for you."

"Give it honestly too," Flora added.

"That's the whole point after all!" Merryweather finished, before shooing them all out the door.

Riku hadn't been quite sure how to tell them honesty wasn't something he struggled with most of the time, and that the issue he would likely be dealing with in this particular situation was rudeness. _But I guess I'm not very good at being honest about intimacy, vulnerability, and telling hard truths to fairies that act like flighty grandmothers from back home._

He spent the next week dressed in a blanket, coos of delight following wherever he went. Small mercy then, that his friends wasted no time in creating him clothes despite the obvious joy they felt seeing him trot about dressed so foolishly. They had everything done and dusted in no time, and thus he found himself once more in the Three Fairies' chamber.

 _How long have they wanted to do this?_ He wondered, as everyone took their turn manhandling him into loose shorts and shirts and skirts, little hats and scarves and wraps for his hooves. Some had even taken the time to make him accessories; bands like bracelets for his legs, and clips for his hair. They came in every color, every shade, in all sorts of patterns and materials. Most of it was in blue, white, black, and yellow though. _My colors_.

By the end, it wasn't just the touch that had him blushing. Part of him wondered if maybe the Fairies had been right to remind him of honesty, not rudeness. It was hard to reject any of his friends' efforts. Even Axel's mustard yellow scarf made him smile. _I'm not angry about any of it, even the skirts—they're probably more practical when I'm like this anyway, seeing as I'd have an easier time getting them on by myself. But it's more than that, it's...the effort. They all gave their time, their best effort for me, despite the inconvenience, despite what this form symbolizes._

He was the way he was now because he had done cruel things, but all everyone here seemed to see was the dawn rising, and not the night left behind.

 _And it makes me happy, to wear the things they've given me._ His eyes went to Sora, and the crown pendant about his neck. _To make, and to give, and to wear the physical manifestations of a bond..._

So despite how embarrassed he felt, with all that in mind, he spoke honest the words that were truest to him. "I like it all," he said, and hid behind his hair, "thank you."

Everyone cooed of course, and Riku let the ass in him fawn at their attention as he fled to the back of his brain.

From then on he oscillated between putting on his clothes and letting the others play dress-up. While some things he could put on himself—the Three Fairies small collection of garments all being designed for independence—others required a helping hand. _Likely by design_ , he considered, _or lack of, considering most of them aren't seamstresses._ At first it humiliated him, and maybe it still did, just a little, but on the other hand he had learned to enjoy the intimacy of it all.

Ven and Roxas and Riku's own replica were endless fun, always willing to engage in dressing room games that gave Riku a chance to test his skills. Roxas was a little rougher than Ven and the other Riku, but all boys were exuberant. Donald was like them, although far less restrained when it came to unleashing his magic in enclosed spaces. They had had to apologize to Yen Sid for damages once or twice, but Riku was still grateful for the practice.

Aqua and Goofy were gentle, almost parental, and he ended up pink whenever they fussed and doted on him. Naminé and Xion always giggled when they worked, and their laughter eased something inside him. Considering all he had been through with them, perhaps he was just happy to hear their joy. The other replica and Vanitas were well-behaved too, sometimes even sensitive, which was a shock to him, but not nearly so much as the delighted turn of the stomach was whenever Terra, Axel, and Isa held him high. 

There was Mickey too, who came by with special outfits from all their friends. "From Twilight Town to Radiant Garden and Disney Castle, you've got people rooting for you everywhere Riku! Although, being honest with ya, I get the impression a lot of folks just wanna dress up something small and cute, ha ha!" 

It tickled Riku pink, though in the moment he could only say so by braying.

Finally, there were Kairi and Sora. They spent as much time dressing him together as they did alone; Kairi more inclined to play dress up while Sora grabbed whatever looked the most like, "The Riku I know!" and slipped it on. Now and then there was quiet affection between them, but mostly it was the same old antics he would've expected back on the islands. 

_Although they're both having way too much fun with this,_ he thought, and then tried not to remember said thought whenever Kairi put him in a skirt. _I can't be rude after all—which means I can't snark—but I can't be honest either._ Indeed, he would not admit to the warm, funny feelings that stirred in his stomach when she dressed him.

Not yet, anyway.

There were things beyond combat, clothes, and practice though, that Riku had to contend with. Whether he was partnered up, in a small group, or gathered with the whole gang, world travel led him to strange places and stranger situations. Always, he had to keep the Blue Fairy's instructions in mind. Always, he had to face the increasingly more obvious truth. _I'm not rude because I like to behave badly. I'm rude because I cannot accept that deep down I am as much of an idiot sap as Sora is, and likely worse._ It was no wonder the curse required manners and honesty—cutting him off from denial required both.

The group traveled to Destiny Islands regularly, gathering for bonfires on the small island Riku had played on for most of his childhood. Something about the atmosphere rendered him weak every time, and there was no power in him that could resist the desire to play and be pet. _I need more affection than you know_ , that desire whispered, starved and eager to be passed about his circle of friends like a fuzzy parcel.

"He likes it just behind the ears," Ven observed one time, grinning. "He's just like Chirithy that way."

"You like it just behind the ears too Ven," Terra teased, ruffling his hair.

"And when we visited the Castle of Dreams last time, you turned into a proper mouse and liked it even more," Aqua added, laughing.

"I wasn't making fun of him!" Ven complained, pouted, then gave Riku another good scratch. "Can you believe they're making fun of me Riku? You're my only friend now, buddy." The others laughed some more, while Riku slept to the sound of their merriment, donkey and human brain both content.

 _It feels so nice,_ he thought, _and Ven's a little like Sora, but with a brightness all his own. It's lovely._

It was easy to doze like that every time they gathered there, easier still to trot around the circle from lap to lap. They each had their own unique way of petting, each their own love. Riku liked Sora's lap most of all. The affection he gave did strange things to Riku's stomach.

_Maybe I like being touched more than I want to admit. By everyone, but mostly by him._

The whole thing was just strange. Despite his ridiculous body—a symbol of shame in more ways than one—his friends were always happy to be kind. They would treat him as normal, or indulge his moments of weakness. They could tease. They could also be tender.

Almost, he wished he could experience that same tenderness in his human form. It wasn't as if he didn't know love, for they all loved him, but that Riku still had walls up, secrets holed up inside his heart.

_But that's the point of all this, isn't it? To finally take those walls down?_

He thought it was, and so Riku did. 

With time he became more inclined to accept when he wanted something. When he and Terra traveled together, he let himself be held while they were on break. He dozed lazily while Terra found them a nice place to eat, held close to his chest, nestled in one hand. When he and Axel hung out he let the other wear him on his head, delighting in ruining Axel's hair while simultaneously enjoying the wonderful view.

He let his friends brush his hair and wrestle him in ways he hadn't for a while—both the ones who just wanted to preen or pound, and the ones who needed to escape their own minds. The pleasure of bristles run through fur was felt as keenly by the replicas and Vanitas as it was by Riku, the joy of tumbling delighted in by Kairi and Xion as much as himself. There were no shortage of friends who sought to do something with him, whether quiet or loud, peaceful or chaotic. He could even drop by Destiny Islands and Radiant Garden to play with Wakka, Tidus, and Selphie—kept in the loop these days—or be tended to by Aerith and the gang.

He couldn't pretend he wasn't pleased about that.

His most unusual—and beloved—new past time however, was going to bed with all his friends. It was awkward at first, he had to admit. He'd had to let his donkey brain take the reins just so he could relax enough to sleep. Yet with time he had come to enjoy himself, and it didn't hurt he was the perfect size and shape—the ideal toy plush.

There was a lot you could learn about people when they slept. You discovered who splayed out like a star and who slept like a log, who muttered curses and snored up storms. Most importantly, he discovered who gave the best hugs, and who needed them—who had nightmares, and who'd put up with his.

The answer was everyone, each and every friend.

Most didn't want much when they woke up shaking. They seemed to want the same thing Riku did in fact—just someone to hold them until darkness faded and dawn came. For his part Riku didn't mind. With time, he came to understand it as another form of protection, something new to master. _For their sake, and for mine._

It came up in conversation with Sora one day, the two of them idling in Kairi's room. She'd just got up herself, stealing Sora's role as lazy bum—though considering how hard he worked, it seemed he'd surrendered the part long ago—for the morning while she caught up on lost sleep.

"You're getting a lot of love lately," Sora observed, lying half way off the bed.

Riku didn't reply immediately, thoughts still off in the clouds as he looked upon his friend. _I wonder if you know I see how hard you work. I wonder if you know the others do too. I wonder if you know I hear when you talk to them about me, asking if I'm okay, and if you know I feel so weak and so helpless and so loved when you do. And I wonder if you know how good it feels coming to terms with that strange side of me—coming to terms with how good it feels to just let you love me as you will._

He shook his head, mind catching up with the world. "Yeah. I guess I have. It's strange. I'm in this form because the past caught up with me again, yet..."

"Yet?" Sora cocked his head.

"I'm...enjoying myself."

Sora bounced up, grinning. "That's good! I'm pretty sure that's how this is supposed to work. Your heart's meant to fly free after all—let that affection in, embrace the cuteness inside and out!"

He punctuated those words with a scratch under Riku's chin. Riku accepted the attention for a moment, then rolled away, eager to play. The two of them ended up wrestling, shouting and laughing before Sora gave up, settled in for a snuggle. Riku was at the point where he didn't need to sink into his donkey brain to enjoy it. _Is that normal? Is this what accepting love feels like?_

He didn't know.

What he did know was that he liked it. It made him happy; the affection he showed, the affection he received, the affection he accepted.

He took that thought to bed that night, climbing onto the mattress while Sora changed into his sleepwear. At first, sleeping with Sora had been the hardest. Riku hadn't struggled with nightmares as a child, so doing so in front of Sora—a person he had always wanted to be admired by—had been difficult. Yet that had only made Sora's acceptance sweetest of all his companions, a happiness unrivaled by any other.

"Ack!" He gasped as Sora bounced on the bed, nearly sending Riku flying across the room. Sora's laughter rung bright, merry even when Riku headbutted him in the stomach. They rolled around, combat brought to an abrupt end when Sora pinned Riku to the mattress, both heaving.

"I know I've got height advantage but I went easy," Sora teased.

"Whatever," Riku said, "let's just go to bed."

"Sore loser."

"Hmph," Riku huffed, but when he and Sora made eye contact they both started giggling.

Sora rolled off him then, settled on his back with Riku nestled in the crook of his arm. Held close, Riku shifted to set his ear against Sora's chest, listened to the beat of his heart much as he had done during that encounter in the empty room, when he'd first become a donkey. It felt so good, being weak like that, being loved as he dozed. _His breath is my lullaby._

"Going to sleep already?" Sora asked.

"Yeah," Riku murmured. "S'nice."

"S'nice huh?" Sora chuckled, then reached out and turned off the main lamp. The only light that remained was that of the moon and the nightlight in the corner. "Well you're right about that. Goodnight Riku. Sweet dreams!"

"Goodnight Sora," Riku mumbled, already half gone. His last thoughts were of how he loved this position best—laid on Sora's chest, as if he were protecting and being protected all at once.

* * *

Sora couldn't say what woke him, but it was the dip in the bed that made him open his eyes. He turned, blinked, bleary-eyed, and saw Riku.

The real Riku.

If he'd had any less restraint he would've bolted right up through the ceiling, but as it was he only flinched. Another blink, eyes adjusting to the darkness and, _Oh_ , he thought, _not quite the real Riku._

He was human, yes, but shorter than he should be, maybe even shorter than Sora. His cheeks were round with baby fat, and his hair was styled the way it had been during their Mark of Mastery exam. _I thought he looked so grown up_ , Sora thought, _w_ _hen I was fourteen and he was fifteen, that year between us felt like an ocean._ Now Riku just looked tiny, curled up delicately on the bed beside him.

It was then Sora noticed the ears.

 _Oh, that's not quite human._ He blinked, stared at the floppy ears where they hung from Riku's head. _But this is the first time something's changed. I've got wake him, right?_

He reached out and shook Riku, not too soft, not too hard. It used to be that a whisper could wake him, but these days he slept deeper, easier. Still it was enough, and Riku's ears perked up in no time. He grumbled, groggy. "Sora? What time is it?"

"Time for a reevaluation!" 

"A wha—Sora, isn't that word too big for you?"

"Excuse you!" He huffed, but failed to sound grumpy in the slightest. This was too good, too exciting. "But seriously Riku, forget that and think a sec. Do you feel any different?"

"Feel any—oh!"

The force with which he sat up nearly knocked Sora off the bed. By the time he had righted himself Riku had already begun 'reevaluating', completely ignoring his plight. He held out his hands, took in the shape of them, the lengths of his fingers. He touched his face, recalling his features. Sora failed to notice what Riku did after that, drawn to his eyes. They were shining so brightly, the usual color but more intense, like the ocean on summer's day.

"I'm..." Riku turned to look at Sora, frowned. "Wait. Something's wrong."

Sora flashed a smile. "I'm taller."

The frown deepened, ears flat against his head. "Then wait, what's—Sora?"

Sora took one of Riku's ears in hand and drew it forward just enough for him to see. "Not quite back to normal yet."

"I see," Riku sighed, taking his ear from Sora. He rubbed his fingers over it, felt the fuzzy fur, then stopped, blinked, looked down. It was then Sora remembered that Riku tended to sleep naked as a donkey.

He was cute, with his flat ears, flushed cheeks, that painfully shy look on his face. It made Sora's heart thunder in his chest for some reason. Fortunately Riku decided to be less cute then, and Sora found himself kicked out of the bed with the blankets yanked out from under him, a strangled cry of, "Pants Sora!" the only instruction he received.

 _Well at least I know the price of readmission,_ he thought. He was glad Riku's clothes seemed tied to his transformation, snatching up a pair of bigger-than-before donkey shorts off the floor. _No hunting down his old outfits at three in the morning._

He passed Riku his pants and settled back in his bed, looked away while Riku clambered out to change. If he looked back too soon and stared—Riku's pants being far too short to cover anything—well, it was an accident.

 _And he still has a tail,_ Sora squealed internally, watching it sway from side to side. _Ah!_

It could have been awkward when Riku climbed back into bed, but instead Sora simply held out his arms and waited for Riku to settle into his embrace. They both kept their heads on the pillow for now, a little pink in the cheeks but otherwise calm, content. Sora didn't think he'd ever seen the real Riku quite like that, yet he also doubted it was the donkey—did the donkey even exist when he was human?

He thought to ask, but instead another question came to mind. "Why do you think you haven't changed back properly?"

"I think this is what the Blue Fairy meant about my form wavering," Riku murmured. "I guess I'm still under the curse. When it's completely gone—that'll be when I get my body back."

"Well that'll probably be soon, considering how well you've been behaving," Sora grinned. "I won't be able to take a single second for granted then, if I want to enjoy being taller than you." His stomach certainly fluttered at the thought.

Riku rolled his eyes. "Whatever. I'm going back to sleep."

"Fair enough." Sora snuggled into the pillow. "I'm just glad you've been sleeping easy recently. You had a lot of nightmares the first few times we roomed together."

"Yeah," Riku smiled. "It's been nice."

Sora hummed, hesitated, then pressed on. "I feel like you've been happier lately, y'know? Sort of open to showing that softer side of you. I dunno if that's because you've been getting good sleep, or if you trust us more or something like that, but it makes me happy. I mean, I want the real you back, and I don't know if this sweet side of you is just because the donkey takes over but—"

"It's not—" Riku turned his head into the pillow, cheeks burning. So close, Sora could feel everything; the way he drew into himself, the way his tail flicked, the way he rubbed his legs together, nervous. Sora tried not to think about that last one in conjunction with the knowledge of how short his shorts were. It really wasn't the time after all.

"It's not?" He prompted.

"It's not the donkey so much these days."

"Oh! So that's really you we've been petting and snuggling all this time?" Riku went even redder and Sora laughed. "Riku, that's a good thing!"

"I—I know. It's just...kind of embarrassing to admit."

"Aw, Riku!" Sora ignored his yelp of protest, dragging him close so he could nuzzle his cheek against the top of his head. Riku squirmed, but there was no escape, and eventually he gave up, laughing. It wasn't one of their traditional wrestles, but it felt good to do it with an almost proper-sized Riku. "I'm just glad you're being more honest. It'll help the curse wear off, but also I'm just..."

It was Sora's turn to feel shy. Riku snorted, but when he spoke it was soft. "You're happy about it? Me being more open? It doesn't make you feel, I dunno, weird or uncomfortable? I'm not a burden to you? You're not...disappointed?"

"How many times have I told you I don't want you to go it alone Riku? Even Data me had to tell Data you that he wanted to work together, sheesh. You think you'd get the message by now."

"I know, I just—"

Sora ground his head into the pillow. "C'mon Riku! You'll never be a burden to me, alright?" Riku snorted. "I mean it! And the fact that—that you've let us get closer to you, to see these new sides of you, to see you scared and needy and—you let me see your nightmares Riku. I've never seen you cry, but these days when we wake up next to each other I can see the tears on the edge of your lashes and that's...that's more than you've ever shown me before, and that means something, okay?"

The words hung between them, heavy in the silent room. Riku reached out and Sora reached back, twining their fingers together.

"I'm..." Riku swallowed, tried again. "It's strange. At first I felt so bad about this, ashamed about my body, about the reminder of what I'd done. No one else seemed to think about it though. They cared that I was uncomfortable, but not about much else. Even when they teased me it was only about things that didn't matter, and now..."

"And now?"

"It doesn't even cross my mind that much, why I'm stuck like this. I still think about it sometimes, but that's just because I brood. No one else sees me that way, or even thinks about it, and none of them think I'm lesser now either. I realize that no one looks to me like I'm a role model, and that's probably a good thing because, well, if they did they wouldn't respect me now. But I'm more than that to them, more than something to admire I'm—I'm someone they care about."

"They do," Sora grinned. "Everyone likes a boy who follows his heart."

Riku sighed. "You and Kairi are both terrible, making fun of me for that."

"Nah, you love us, and we love you Riku. I mean, honestly? I still think of you as a role model sometimes, but you're not on a pedestal, y'know? You're my friend, and I want to be there for you as much as you are for me." The more he spoke, the more he felt Riku's hand press against his. His body ran hot, cheeks flushed, and Sora almost smiled. But then Riku's ears drooped, his brows creased, and worry replaced warmth. "What's wrong?"

"I—nothing really, it's just..." Riku swallowed. "There's something I need to tell you, something I need to be honest about. You said you'd be there for me, but if you hear this and don't want to be that's okay, really. I just want to stay friends. That's all I want. I—I'm not even sure this is something other than friends. I'm not..."

"Riku, what are you talking about?" Sora laughed, uneasy. Riku refused to look at him, eyes set firmly on their clasped hands. His palms were sweaty, cheeks red. His voice was shaking when he finally spoke.

"I have feelings for you Sora, strong ones. I don't know what they are, or what they mean, but I don't want to keep that part of my heart hidden anymore." He looked up, held Sora's gaze. "Maybe that's what this was really all about."

Silence. Sora would feel bad later, that he made Riku wait. He needed that moment though, to really think about what Riku was saying. His words played over in his mind and Sora knew them, or at least the vulnerability of them. They had the same quality as those they'd shared on the Dark Margin, when they'd watched the tide go out together, alone in the darkest of worlds.

_Words we never thought we'd say. Words we never thought we'd share._

He removed his hand from Riku's grasp only to reach for his cheek. His fingers skimmed the apple of it, slid gently into his hair, just under his ear. Riku's eyes brightened, and Sora could only think how lovely hope looked on him. _I wish you'd wear it more often._ It shone so lovely in their dark room, the golden nightlight and the silver moonbeams painting the scene in sweet shadows.

He was so pretty, so open, so honest. _How long as he kept this inside?_

He leaned forward. Riku's eyes fluttered closed.

They kissed. It was the barest brush of lips and nose.

When they parted, Sora smiled. "I know what you mean." He took Riku's hand and set it on his chest. _I feel it too._

And Riku understood it, that unspoken feeling. Without guilt, without shame, without second-guessing, he knew it and he accepted it.

They curled up after that, exhausted. Sora felt drained, but not in a bad way. It was like an invisible weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Everything felt light, airy, ready to drift away. _How heavy was it for you, Riku?_

He did seem lighter now, at ease as he dozed. Sora ran his fingers through his hair, as soothed by the action as Riku was himself. He didn't comment on the barely-there fur, or the way Riku's eyes had gotten just that bit duller when he opened them.

"I'm turning back, aren't I?" He murmured.

"Yeah. I guess you'll be wavering between these two shapes more often, huh? Until you're tiny Riku with donkey ears all the time."

"Hm, yeah," Riku closed one eye, half-asleep. "That's okay. I'll be back to normal soon. Besides, I know that...you'll still like me no matter what body I'm in. That's good enough for me."

Sora smiled, because there was nothing to say. Riku was right, after all. He would love him no matter where he was, what he'd done, or what shape he wore. He would always be there, always reaching for him. 

_Just as I reach for you_ , he thought, and drew him closer until their chests pressed together.

They fell asleep like that, in the dim lit room, their hearts beating as one.

* * *

When Riku woke he was a donkey again.

The nightlight in the corner had gone out, a breeze snuffing the flame in the night. Light still crept in through the window, enough to let him know dawn was on its way. Warm gray filled the room, and Riku was grateful he could still see in color. It would have been a shame, after all, to miss seeing Sora in such lovely shades. _Though maybe I'm missing out. Sora would look good in anything._

The thought carried him up onto Sora's chest, then wafted away as he laid his ear against it. Idle thoughts flitted through his mind to the beat of Sora's heart; silly things, all of them, but they made him happy and warm inside.

Here, curled in Sora's arms, he felt safe. Even if he longed to be human again, he was content with what he had. _No one sees the worst in me. No one judges me for needing affection, for being weak, for anything. I'm okay, and I might never have known that if I hadn't changed._

He felt comfortable, and comfortable with being comforted. _It's nice._

With sleep weighing on his eyes he cast one last look up. There was Sora; face slack, hair wild, sweet and silly in every way. It was in that moment Riku felt it, his heart shirking its chains and spreading its wings.

_If his heart should e'er fly free..._

Riku smiled and laid his head on Sora's chest.

_...then a donkey he must be._


End file.
